The Light bite: Welcome summer with healthier picnic fare
With Memorial Day right around the corner, many people are starting to fire up their grills and make plans for food, friends and family.
Sure, there are healthy foods like watermelon and corn on the cob, but sometimes those offerings are overshadowed by the not-so-healthy outdoor eats — like burgers, creamy salads and plenty of desserts.
This year with a few tweaks and some healthy choices, people can still have a full plate without gaining the weight.
According to Heather Thompson, clinical manager of nutrition services and dietitian at Uniontown Hospital, the key to having a flavorful holiday is portion control.
“I would say you could probably go for portion control and have that burger and have a healthier alternative as a side, like grilled veggies, or you could have a healthier shish kebab, like a grilled chicken and veggies shish kebab,” she said.
In addition to portion control, Thompson also offered a few food swaps to help lighten the caloric load.
“You can always choose baked (potato chips),” she said. “(For dessert) maybe an angel food cake with a whipped topping and fresh fruit. It is a really good time to take advantage of the fresh fruit and vegetables available.”
For those who cannot resist the allure of potato salad, hot dogs and ice cream, Thompson said the key to keeping the waistline trim is to balance food with activity.
“If you want to indulge in some of these picnic favorites, think about increasing your activities that weekend to offset those calories,” she said. “Some people play bocce; even taking a walk with friends, and taking advantage to spend time with relatives who you haven’t seen in a while. Anything your family enjoys doing together can often make exercise more available.”
In order to make planning a little easier, Thompson shared a few healthy recipes included below.